That'll be Five Dollars
by Sprint to Finish
Summary: He was back, day after day, just to buy a five dollar sandwich. They don't know each other, so why does he insist on acting like they do? A NaruHina beginnings- take it as friendship or budding romance. Oneshot, AU.


**Disclaimer: **I wish I could take credit for Kishimoto's lovely characters, but alas, I cannot. _Naruto_ doesn't belong to me. Also, I do not work at Subway, so if I have in any way misrepresented the establishment, I heartily apologize.

()

It was slow.

Hinata Hyuuga- part-time Subway employee- found herself idly wiping down the serving counter after putting a few trays of bread dough in the oven. The store was empty; while she enjoyed working at the sandwich shop, on mornings like this- with the sun shining outside, lulling her into a comfortable lethargy, and few customers to keep her busy- she found herself wishing the clock would move faster.

"Okay." Her coworker- a pink-haired girl named Sakura Haruno**- **walked up from the back, a box in her arms. She set it under the counter and pulled up a handful of skinny bags. "Let's go ahead and do some more prepping for now, Hinata. Did you get the bread in the oven?"

Hinata nodded. "Yes, I put them in. Do we have more cucumber in the fridge? I-I think we'll have to refill that one first."

"Yep, plenty in the back. Oh, shoot! Did you check the meatballs?"

"N-no."

"Man, we were almost out yesterday and I can bet you that Shikamaru didn't make any after I left; that lazy bum. I'll double check and make some if you can start the veggies?"

"S-sure, Sakura. Not a problem."

Sakura grinned. "I love opening with you, Hinata. You're so reliable."

A flush spread over Hinata's face at the praise, drawing a giggle from her pink-haired teammate.

"You're so cute. Could you listen for customers while I'm in the back?"

Hinata nodded, still too embarrassed to speak.

As Sakura disappeared into the back, Hinata retrieved vegetables from the fridge, carrying them to a cutting station after she had rinsed them off. She hummed softly in tune to the music that played from the radio while she worked. Sakura's praise- probably just simple words to anyone else- had left her feeling warm inside. She felt motivated despite the lack of activity.

A small jingle announced the arrival of customers. After quickly washing her hands, Hinata moved to the front.

Two boys around her age stood at the counter, laughing and joking with each other as they examined the overhead menu.

Breathing deeply, Hinata walked towards them.

"H-hello. Can I help you guys?"

The reaction wasn't what she expected. Both boys stopped talking to look at her as she made her way towards them. One grinned cheekily- a boy with unruly brown hair and red triangular tattoos on his face. His companion- a boy with blonde, spiky hair and blue eyes- however, had opened his mouth to speak but froze when he made eye contact with her.

Settled in front of them behind the counter, Hinata cocked her head at the response. The blue-eyed boy was looking at her as though she were some fascinating, never-before-seen creature. A brilliant, gentle smile lit up his face.

"Hi." His tone- soft, breathless- threw her off guard.

"Um, h-hi."

The blonde stayed silent, still staring at her as if he were in a trance, so Hinata looked to his brown-haired companion. The boy shrugged.

"I just want a cookie. Oi, hurry up; I need my sugar rush."

The loud voice of the tattooed boy must have broken through the blonde one's daze because he blinked, lifting a hand to ruffle the spikes at the back of his head. Chuckling, he offered an embarrassed grin.

"Sorry. I spaced a little."

"Dude, order already."

"Don't rush me. I'll get a five dollar footlong Chipotle Chicken, please."

Hinata nodded, relieved to be moving away from that awkward moment. Her heart was beating a little too fast.

"What-what kind of bread would you like?"

"Um, wheat."

"Wheat? Really, man?" The brown-haired one laughed. "Live a little."

"Che, shut up. I'll get whatever I want- ah!"

Hinata jumped, wheat bread clutched in her hand.

"Oh my gosh, you guys have a cheesy bread?"

"Seriously, dude, how long has it been since you last came here?"

"Shut up, it's been a while. Sorry, Hinata, but could I get it on that instead?"

The girl nodded, already turning back to get the new bread before realizing something: he had said her name. For a moment, panic enveloped her. Did she know him? How humiliating would it be if they had met before and she just didn't remember? He really didn't look at all familiar though.

And then it hit her: she was wearing a name tag. Breathing easier, she set the bread on the counter and sliced it open. It always shocked her when a customer would use her name. It really wasn't fair for them to know hers when she didn't know theirs.

Sighing, she looked up at the pair again, slightly suspicious as to why the brown-haired one was shaking with suppressed laughter while the blonde one was grinning. "W-what kind of cheese would you like?"

Blonde boy smirked as he leaned forward against the sneeze guard. "Whatever you think is best, Hinata."

Hinata's eyes widened. She could feel the heat creeping up her face. Had he just teased her?

"Oh brother." The brown-haired boy barked out a laugh before shoving his hands in his pockets and looking down at the floor.

It felt like she had walked into the middle of a conversation. The blonde one's demeanor had completely changed: pairing that with the smothered laughter of the other boy, she got the distinct impression that they were laughing at her. The only question was _why_.

Ignoring the discomfort beginning to grip her, she reached out a hand to select a few slices of cheese. "U-um, how about p-provolone?"

"Sounds good to me."

His manner was almost cocky now; tone so smooth and personal she felt like she was being ganged up on, made fun of, even though neither of the boys had actually done anything threatening. Her introverted nature often caused her to over think things, though; perhaps she was blowing his actions out of proportion?

"Ya know, your eyes are a really pretty color."

Hinata flinched. Ok, now she knew they were teasing her. Her eyes were always a target for bullies to focus on.

"They're really pale, almost lavender."

Hinata knew that she made herself an easy target for bullies because she was soft-spoken and often stuttered, but why would a complete stranger pick on her at her work place? She'd greeted him nicely, hadn't she?

Turning her back on the blonde and his snickering friend, Hinata resolutely faced the toaster oven after placing the sandwich inside, trying to calm the burning she could feel steeling its way across her face.

"Dude, I'm pretty sure she's ignoring you."

"Shut up, Kiba. Come on, don't you think her eyes are pretty?"

"Radiant."

"Dazzling."

"Shining like pearls."

"Pearls aren't purple, you moron."

"Really? I'm pretty sure there are purple ones."

They continued to bicker behind her, throwing out praise she was sure was intended to rattle her. It was mortifying.

Sandwich toasted, she brought it back to the counter and stared at the metallic surface.

"V-v-veggies?"

"Hmmm, there's so many to choose from." The blonde's voice was full of laughter. "Just a little lettuce, I guess. And tons of jalapenos. You know what? Just put whatever you think would go well, except mushrooms and cucumber. I leave it to you; I'm pretty sure you know how to make a great sandwich."

He grinned as he leaned forward against the sneeze guard again, watching as she hurriedly chose the two toppings he had mentioned.

"You know, in the light, your hair looks purple too. Like it's got a deep purple tint to it. Do you dye it?"

Hinata ignored the question, focusing instead on keeping tears at bay.

"Whatever you're doing, it works. I have to use crazy expensive stuff to keep my hair manageable. It doesn't ever want to behave."

Abruptly, he changed topics, a sense of desperation clinging to his voice as he watched her start to wrap his order up.

"Say, Hinata, have you heard of that new restaurant that opened up across town? Ichiraku's- it's got amazing authentic Japanese food. You should definitely try it sometime."

"Dude, I'm pretty sure she's making it clear that she's not interested in you."

"What are you talking about? I'm just being friendly. Besides, I'm a stud- people bow before me and my awesomeness. What's not to like about a blonde half-Asian? What do you think, Hinata?"

Hinata blinked, more confused and embarrassed than she had ever been in her life. "That'll be five dollars."

The one called Kiba burst into laughter and Hinata felt the blood rush to her face. Had she said something wrong?

She jumped when the blond boy leaned forward and took hold of her hand. Letting out a squeak, her eyes widened when he didn't release her limb after she tugged back. Cool fingers smoothed out her own before gently folding them back over a crumpled five dollar bill.

She couldn't breathe; he needed to move or she was going to faint, or cry, or do something that would be both hysterical and humiliating-

Lowly, the boy all but purred, "Thanks for the sandwich, Hinata."

Steam practically blew from Hinata's ears at the intimate tone of the statement. She wanted to sink into the floor.

"Okay, loverboy, let's go before we get the cops called on us, you pervert. Poor girl, she looks like she's gonna have a heart attack."

"Yeah, yeah, quit your yapping, Dog Breath."

Hinata stumbled back when her hand was released, immediately raising both hands to her flaming cheeks.

"Don't mind him," the one with the triangular tattoos said gently, "he's a bit of a moron." He gave her a wink and a sympathetic grin before pushing his blond-haired friend towards the door. "Oh, and you can forget about the cookie!"

The door jingled and the store was empty once again.

What- what had just happened?

Humiliation and confusion had her rooted to the floor. She couldn't even comprehend it. He had- her hand- and-

Reliving the scene in her head, a shiver broke out over her body. She felt warm, unbearably so. How could a complete stranger act so brazen towards her?

"Hey, what are you doing standing there?"

Humiliating; she was embarrassed beyond words. She had to have been dreaming.

"Hinata?"

Sakura leaned in front of her, waving a hand in front of Hinata's face.

"You okay? What's that in your hand?"

Her fingers tightened, crinkling the five dollar bill in her grasp. She blinked, finally realizing that she was still standing at the register. Shame burned through her at being caught by her coworker in such a humiliating manner.

"S-s- I'm sorry. I just, um- there was a-a customer and I-"

"What?"

Hinata felt so foolish. It really wasn't that big a deal. He was just some boy who had decided to mess with her. She must have shown her weakness and he had simply exploited it. No harm done, really. If she didn't make herself such an easy target people wouldn't pick on her so much.

"It-it's nothing, Sakura. Sorry."

Ignoring the look of concern on her friends face, Hinata rang up the total on the register and slipped the bill into the drawer, trying her best to erase the experience from her mind as the till snapped closed.

()

He was back.

A few weeks had passed since the encounter with the overly friendly blond and his tattooed friend. The whole scenario had almost entirely been forgotten until those blonde spikes caught her eye. Instantly she had known who it was. His brunette friend was missing, but that didn't make the situation any more appealing. She recalled the way he had acted with her; so straightforward, teasing her. She'd encountered many bullies in her life- her work was one place she had thought she would be free of them.

In a moment of panic, Hinata had nervously lingered in the back, hoping that Sakura would hear the door chime and come up to help him.

"Can I help you?"

Her saving grace. Relief flooded through her as the pink-haired girl pushed past her, giving Hinata an odd look for crouching in the back. From her hiding spot, Hinata watched as the boy ordered.

Sakura was an excellent employee, always quick and efficient at finishing her orders; not to mention friendly and extremely pretty. And yet, throughout the whole ordeal, not once had the blonde boy uttered Sakura's name when answering her queries as to his sandwich preferences. Once the order was rung up, the boy simply left- no dramatic scene or displays of affection.

"Are you feeling okay, Hinata?"

She jumped, realizing only now that Sakura had squatted down in front of her and was eyeing her suspiciously.

"Oh, I'm- I'm fine. Sorry. I just, um, got dizzy for a mo-moment." Her cheeks burned with shame at the lie, but Sakura- probably used to Hinata's easy embarrassment- merely smiled and put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"If you don't feel well, I can call Kakashi and tell him you feel sick and need to go home. That lazy bum should be in here more often anyways. Geez, I keep telling him that if he keeps slacking as a manager he'll get himself fired."

"N-no, I'm fine. Really. It passed already."

"Are you sure?" Sakura frowned, eyeing her friend suspiciously before moving to stand. "Why don't you take a break for a bit anyway? It's pretty slow now. If you're still feeling off after resting for a while then we'll call the perv in, okay?"

The shame was almost unbearable. Sakura was genuinely concerned for her, and here she was, lying to her friend's face. She felt like she was back in grade school, hiding in the bathroom from the kids who picked on her at recess. She was a grown woman- almost- and shouldn't have to hide from some boy who had merely teased her a bit so long ago. Lifting her chin, she nodded.

"Okay. Thanks Sakura."

As she moved to a booth out in the front of the store, she made up her mind. Next time, if that blonde guy came in again, she wouldn't hide. Maybe he had just been in an overly friendly mood that day and she had misread his intentions; perhaps she'd even imagined it all. Disregarding everything, he was a customer; their interaction was only for a few minutes. Surely she could buck up and ignore his disrespect for that long.

()

Her determination wavered when she saw the blonde again merely a week later. Having opened with Shikamaru Nara- an intelligent yet uninspired worker who currently was taking inventory as slowly as he could- she'd had no choice but to serve the blond on her own.

"Ya know, I think I'm feeling the meatball today, Hinata."

Right off the bat the boy had started his game, saying her name and treating her like a close friend. She was already feeling rattled: a customer had yelled at her earlier for not putting double the amount of all the veggies they wanted for free on their sandwich. Her resolve was shaken, defenses lowered. And now, this blonde-headed boy who seemed insistent upon teasing her had to show up? If Sakura had been here the pink-haired girl would have had no qualms about coming to Hinata's aid and telling the blonde boy off; but Shikamaru was here instead. Lazy and disinclined to involve himself in anything he deemed troublesome, Hinata knew he wouldn't intervene in something so seemingly inconsequential. She would have to buck up and deal with it on her own.

Determined not to let him rattle her this time, Hinata turned away.

"W-w-what bread?" Internally, she chastised herself for falling prey so easily to his mind game. It was as though his very presence set her on edge, just knowing what he had done the last time she'd served him. This time, she would ensure he kept his distance.

"Mmm, I think the cheesy bread again would be great. Unless you think a different one would go better with the marinara sauce? "

Hinata didn't reply. She couldn't. He was watching her too intently. As though it were the most important job in the world, she put all her focus into slicing open his preferred bread. His gaze was unnerving- was he trying to break her? Her clenched fingers trembled, rattling the metallic surface. Why was he doing this to her?

"Hmm? Is something wrong, Hinata?"

_Don't tell him_! She inwardly screamed. _He's a customer, you don't want to make him mad. Just ignore the informality. Five minutes. Ignore it_.

Looking up, Hinata released a steady breath and forced a small smile. "I-I'm sorry. Meatball, you said?"

The explosion of a grin across the boy's face had red instantly pooling in her already warm cheeks.

"Yep, you got it."

She ladled a few meatballs onto the bread, concentrating on the redness of the sauce rather than on the feeling that she was being played. "Toasted?"

"Even better. Ooh, could I get a mix of cheddar and mozzarella on this one? I'm feeling extra melty today." He waggled his eyebrows and Hinata felt like her face would combust. Her insides squirmed.

"S-sure."

"Mmm, you're the best Hinata!"

There it was again. Slice of cheese clutched between her fingers, Hinata's hand froze.

She didn't feel threatened, per say, but the constant use of her name by this stranger bothered her more than the playfully personal nature of the things he said and the way he watched her. It implied that they were closer to each other than they really were. It felt too intimate, more mocking than if he had openly bullied her.

Her determination crumbled. She was tired. Was he doing it to poke fun at her, to see how red she could get before bursting into tears? Why? It made no sense. They didn't even know each other.

"Whoa, there you go again. Hinata? What's up?"

She didn't know how to deal with this.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

She had whispered before, mostly to herself, but now the words came out before she could stop herself.

"Why do you keep saying my name?"

The boy blinked, surprise washing over his face, and suddenly Hinata felt ridiculous. Why was she choosing now- this instance out of all the times she had been picked on- to finally stand up for herself? She should have kept her mouth shut and just bore with it. Was it really so bad to have a complete stranger intimately using her name every time she saw him; speaking so informally to her?

A low chuckle caught her attention, and pale lavender eyes lifted shyly to see that the blond boy had dropped his head, struggling to keep his amusement at bay. Looking back to her, he moved forward to lean one arm against the plastic sneeze guard and smirked devilishly at her.

"Maybe I like how it sounds."

Hinata's insides leaped at his tone. What exactly had he meant by that? Was he- no, he wouldn't be teasing her more, would he? Not when she had made it clear that she didn't understand his intentions. But, how was she supposed to take his statement?

Heart hammering, Hinata stammered, "B-but we- we don't even kn-know each other. Isn't it, I m-mean, don't you feel a-as if it's, um, too informal?"

The teasing grin softened into a contemplative frown.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

The sudden gentleness in his tone made her feel even more self-conscious. He must think she was reacting like a little kid. Was it really such a big deal? She was probably blowing everything out of proportion, just like she always did. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy: Hinata didn't want to hurt his feelings, but having him say her name so affectionately made her feel… vulnerable. Once would have been fine- satisfied customers often thanked her by name- but this stranger insisted upon repeating her name like they were long lost friends, treating her like she was someone close and special to him. And some of the things he said to her- _did_ to her, especially in their first encounter- Hinata just didn't know how to interpret or handle them.

"I don't really know you," she finally murmured, not daring to look up. Her eyes felt like they were swimming in unshed tears. This situation was unbearably humiliating.

"Well then!" Hinata jumped, dropping the cheese she hadn't realized she had still been holding on to: It was sadly smushed beyond recognition of a cheese slice. "I've got the perfect solution then. You can just start calling me by my name too. Then we'll get to know each other and not be strangers anymore." He beamed at her and Hinata blinked, thoroughly confused. "The name's Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."

Shock. That was all Hinata could fathom as the blond boy- Naruto Uzumaki- stood triumphantly in front of her, hands perched on his hips and a wide grin back on his face. In that instance, he suddenly didn't seem so threatening anymore. He appeared more like an excited young boy, simply eager for a new friend, someone to talk to. The antagonistic intent she had assumed had been fueling his actions seemed to dissipate. He seemed genuine.

It was like she had simply dreamed up the feeling of being mocked. Had she truly been over thinking his actions?

Or- a new thought struck her- had he been overacting in an attempt to make her notice him? The idea was outrageous, yet she couldn't quite push it from her mind. Never before had something like this happened to her. She lived in her own world, not brave enough to let anyone else in.

Facing him- authentic grin on his face- a blush crept up her neck and into her cheeks, one very different from the others of humiliation she was accustomed to. And suddenly, she didn't know what to do.

So, she did what she had been trained to do: she stepped forward and continued to make his sandwich. Fresh cheese slices of both cheddar and mozzarella layered on top of the meatballs, Hinata paused before loading the sub onto a toaster tray.

"It's n-nice to meet you, Naruto."

If possible, the boy's smile grew wider.

()

Soon enough it became a norm for Hinata to look up every time a customer walked in and expect to see Naruto. The boy came in nearly every week, not regularly enough to predict when he would be there, but often enough that Hinata could look forward to his arrival.

Enthusiastic and engaging in everything that he did, Naruto seemed to wholeheartedly enjoy life, from the little things of everyday occurrence to the goals he dreamed of. And with each new encounter, he slowly broke down the routine of Hinata's rigorously structured life.

Most days Naruto would come in at the same time as the first day he had shown up; in the early morning when the store was nearly empty of other customers. It gave him time to talk, which Hinata quickly learned he loved to do. He would order a five dollar footlong- a different one each time- and then launch into a new adventurous story for Hinata's entertainment: wild escapades with his friends, admirations for his father's construction business, sometimes a philosophical inquiry or thought. Randomly they talked about rubber ducks that were made wearing absurd outfits, books and authors- especially the Harry Potter series, which Hinata had blurted out she was in love with- why high school kids insist upon segregating into stereotypical groups; the allure of grilled cheese sandwiches, family traditions, whether the end of the earth really existed. Anything that popped into the boy's head, he would pose or relate with exaggerated detail to the shyly smiling girl behind the counter.

And the more he came around, Hinata found that she was learning how to talk back to the hyperactive blonde. She admired his ability to speak his mind freely about any topic, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Through their short encounters, he gently encouraged her to open up, to share her own thoughts and opinions. Her hesitance to respond genuinely was slowly pushed aside as he showed her that he could listen as well as he could talk. Her soft contributions were listened to carefully, and often met with a proud smile. More importantly, Naruto never laughed at her. His initial teasing- which had flustered her so easily- had subsided into easy, playful banter; and while he would still occasionally tease her, she realized that he did so in a lighthearted, friendly manner.

The days when Naruto was in a philosophical mood often led to some of her favorite discussions- even though they lasted only the amount of time it took for her to make his sandwich.

"Do you believe in God?" He posed the question one day immediately after requesting a vegetarian footlong- something Hinata hadn't believed he would actually try.

She stopped a moment to think the question over. "I guess I do. M-my cousin Neji likes to believe in destiny. There has to be s-someone pulling those strings, doesn't there?"

Naruto scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. "I don't believe in destiny. It's pretty much just an excuse for someone not to try."

"I think I'd like to see you say that to him," Hinata giggled.

"Che, he must be one of those self-righteous ones who thinks he knows everything."

"Something like that. He's not actually very nice, b-but he's very smart. Neji is a genius."

"Yeah right. He sounds like a snob, no offense to you. I think I'd like to meet him and challenge him to a fight or a race- or maybe a video game challenge, I bet I could easily beat his ass- something cool to knock him down a peg."

"H-he wouldn't bother. He doesn't do things he deems as a-a waste of his time."

"I'd make him then. I hate when people complain about their life. If you just put in effort, so many good things can happen. I don't give a crap about destiny; I make my own way."

Hinata paused, cocking her head at him. "S-so you don't believe in destiny, but do you believe in God?"

She watched him as he pursed his lips, contemplating his answer. When he did start to reply, his voice was hesitant, as though probing for the right words to convey his thoughts.

"The way I see it, there's a lot of bad in this world. People seem to be relatively mean-spirited: they take advantage of anyone who's weaker and will do almost anything to get ahead. Life itself seems to be one big curveball, throwing anything and everything at you to get you to give up. I got off lucky: my dad stuck around to raise me even though my mom died when I was born." He shrugged. "There were complications."

"But even though bad things consistently pop up to ruin peoples' lives," he continued softly, "there's always something good going around too; little things and big things, kind people. If there wasn't a God, I don't think those good things would be there as much. Humans are neat creatures, but I think if given a choice we would sell each other out in no time. We're pretty selfish. God's got to be there somewhere, making sure we end up okay in the end.

"I don't know much about religion or all that fancy stuff. Dad's not big on God because of Mom, so I didn't grow up learning any of that. But when I think about it, a higher being is the only thing that makes sense to me. How else could everything have come about in the first place?"

He smiled. "Who knows? It's definitely interesting to think about."

Hinata gave a small nod. "I think most people a-are too scared to think about that stuff though."

"Well, yeah. It's easy to ignore the heavy stuff if you don't think you'll like the answer. Like your cousin who believes so wholeheartedly in destiny. It's like closing your eyes and giving in to whatever life throws at you."

A sudden look of disgust twisted Naruto's face, causing Hinata to laugh: she'd been sneaking a few mushrooms onto his sandwich, slipping them beneath the tomato slices. Apparently, she'd been caught.

"Y-you should try them, N-Naruto. Like you s-said: open your eyes and try it."

"Blech, Hinata, those things just look so gross. Why do you think the word 'fungus' gives people such a disgusting mental picture? No way, not uh. Pile on the jalapenos though." He grinned when his words only made her giggle. So long ago, she might have taken his playful words as a harsh scolding. Mushrooms removed, Hinata gave him a pointed look as she dropped the jalapenos on instead.

"You know, I think God must have a sense of humor. You don't even have to look hard: you can see it in the types of food we have to eat- funny little mushrooms, delectable jalapenos. He's got a creative mind, that's for sure."

"I like mushrooms."

"You do?" He made a face. "But they're squishy."

"So are these ja-jalapenos."

"But those taste good."

"You h-haven't even tried mushrooms."

"Because all I can think is 'toe fungus' when I see them. And that is not appetizing."

"Should I pray for you to o-overcome your fear of mushrooms?"

Naruto laughed. "Nah. There'll be more for you if I don't put them on my sandwich all the time."

Blushing, Hinata focused on wrapping up his sandwich.

"Man, God and mushrooms. We talk about weird stuff when I come in here," Naruto laughed, as though just now realizing that the heavy topic had been so easily transferred to benign fungi.

"Keeps it interesting though." Hinata smiled as she held out her hand. "Five dollars, N-Naruto."

"Got it coming, hold on a sec."

He fished for his wallet and paid with a twenty. After getting his change, he paused before picking up his sandwich.

"Next time." He grinned at Hinata's questioning look. "Next time, I'll let you put some mushrooms on my sandwich. Just don't forget."

()

Hinata was busy with another customer when Naruto walked in one day. His eyes found hers and immediately he greeted her with a cheerful grin. A rush of feelings pooled within her as she refocused her attention on the sandwich she was constructing. Sakura- working diligently beside her- began to do Naruto's order. He went with a BLT, and Hinata couldn't help smiling to herself: it was the week's special five dollar deal. Some things never changed.

"Nice weather we've been having lately, huh?"

Hinata suppressed a giggle at Naruto's lame comment. He was staring at the ceiling while Sakura got his order ready for the vegetables to be put on.

"Are you crazy? It's been raining for the past two days," Sakura laughed.

Naruto shrugged absentmindedly. "Good weather for the ducks then."

A giggle escaped her before she could stop it. Lowering her eyes to her own sandwich, Hinata nevertheless noticed the grin that had spread across Naruto's upturned face.

"I feel bad for the other birds though- the ones who aren't waterproof. Have you ever seen them fly in the rain. They look miserable."

"N-not as miserable as my cat when he's ou-outside when it's raining."

Naruto laughed at Hinata's soft contribution.

"Yeah, cats are pretty hilarious when they're soaked. They look so skinny with their fur all plastered to their sides; and they always have this grouchy look on their face, like 'what the hell is this wet stuff clinging to me?'"

Blushing, Hinata felt herself smile, unable to believe that she had spoken to Naruto in front of her coworker- when she was with another customer even! Redirecting her attention to her own client, she quietly finished the woman's order, simply listening as Naruto continued to talk about animals and their odd behavior. Beside her, Sakura was laughing politely as she helped the talkative blonde.

Once her own order was complete and the woman was leaving, Hinata opened her mouth to add something to Naruto's conversation with Sakura when the door opened, heralding the arrival of a group of businessmen. Disappointment coursed through her, but she left the two on their own in favor of helping the new customers.

Sakura and Naruto had moved to the register by now. As Hinata watched from her station, Naruto held up his hand, stopping the pink-haired girl before she could utter his total.

"Let me guess," he said, slyly glancing at Hinata as he handed some cash to Sakura. "Five dollars, right?"

Hinata felt her face burn up. He- he'd looked right at her, like he was sharing a secret with her! Sakura paid no attention to his fleeting look, though. Giving a flirtatious laugh, she took his money.

"Spot on."

Naruto beamed, giving her the thumbs up. "What can I say? I've got a way with numbers."

Sakura quirked an eyebrow as she handed him his sandwich.

"Right. Have a good day."

After picking up the bag, Naruto gave a hearty wave to both employees. He caught Hinata's eye before turning for the door and smiled- a smile that seemed just for her.

Her heart skipped a beat.

With Sakura's help, they quickly finished the orders for the businessmen, who settled at a table in the middle of the store. Hinata moved to brush a few spilled strands of lettuce from the counter when Sakura's voice stopped her.

"That guy comes in a lot, have you noticed?"

Feeling caught in the act, Hinata looked back at her coworker, eyes wide. She knew who the girl was referring to: of course Sakura had noticed her interactions with Naruto. Not only today, but they were the two workers who most often opened the store together, so when she was here, so was Sakura.

Was she in trouble? Was it against the rules to make friends with a customer?

_Friend_?

Hinata blinked. Since when had she started considering Naruto as a friend?

Sakura grinned cheekily at her. "You're also talking a lot more, lately."

A blush stole its way across Hinata's face. What was her friend trying to imply?

Sakura laughed. "Geez, don't look so worried. I'm happy that you're branching out and becoming more human, Hinata. I don't know what's going on, but you and blondie seem to have connected somehow. It's endearing."

Unsure what the appropriate thing was to say, Hinata looked down at the floor. A touch to her shoulder had her glancing up again. Sakura was giving her a reassuring smile.

"I won't embarrass you anymore; but just so you know, if you two start hanging out I'm going to want details. And if he ever hurts you, you had better let me know so I can beat him to a pulp."

"Um, th-thanks Sakura. B-but I don't think that's going to happen."

"Right, whatever you say."

A new customer entering the store drew their attention. As Hinata continued throughout her day, making sandwich after sandwich, she couldn't help but reflect on what Sakura had told her. A pleasantly warm and fuzzy feeling slowly took hold and wouldn't let her go for the rest of the day.

()

Today was Italian sub day for the blonde.

It was another slow morning, with Hinata manning the front while Sakura prepared bread dough in the back. Strangely, Naruto had seemed to be in a quiet mood when he walked in the door, as though he were mulling some difficult problem over in his head. He had given her his customary smile and cheery "good morning" before falling back into his thoughts, eyeing her suspiciously. Hinata let him be, recognizing the sign that he was trying to work through something private, or perhaps just trying to come up with something to say. She acted like that all the time. It was just strange to see the normally loud blonde acting so contemplative.

Hinata piled a few extra jalapenos onto his sandwich, smiling softly as Naruto made a sound of appreciation. As if that was all he'd needed to break out of his thoughts, he sighed.

"Ya know, I've got a bit of a confession." His voice was low, hesitant.

"Hmm?"

"Yeah, I uh- well-"

Hinata didn't know whether to giggle or frown at his sheepish tone. Naruto was normally a bundle of talkative energy. It wasn't like him to be shy in his stories, no matter how embarrassing they may be.

"I actually kind have, um, seen you before. Outside of subway, I mean."

Confused, Hinata lifted her head to regard the suddenly blushing Naruto. He was fidgeting, laughing awkwardly as he lifted a hand to scratch absentmindedly at his nose. Quite frankly, the sight was rather adorable.

"You have?" She was thinking back now, wondering once again if maybe they had been introduced before and she had been the one to forget about him.

"Yeah, we go to the same school."

"We do?" She was shocked, but after a moment of considering his statement, the idea really wasn't that surprising. Hinata attended the only four year university in town, hoping to one day enter the graduate credential program to teach elementary school. The college campus itself was fairly large, so if Naruto was a student there then it wouldn't be surprising that she had never crossed paths with him, especially if they weren't in the same classes or major. But, Naruto had just said that he'd seen her there.

"Yeah, at the college. I'm an engineering major there."

"You w-want to work with your dad?"

An ecstatic smile broke through his sheepish demeanor.

"Aww, you remembered! Yeah, I do want to work for him. He's got a good business and I want to keep it going. Anyways, um, I've seen you at school before. A lot, actually." At her look of alarm, Naruto held his hands up. "Not that I'm stalking you or anything. Like I said, I first noticed you way before I found out that you work here- aww, man, that sounds even worse, like I _am_ a stalker. I'm not one, though, I'm not a stalker. I'm not stalking you!" He had moved back from the sneeze guard, frantically waving his hands.

"I think you've made that pretty clear," Hinata giggled. "N-not a stalker. Got it."

"Aww, jeez, I just make everything worse, don't I?" Flustered, he ran a tanned hand through his blonde spikes, rumpling the ones in the back until they stood out haphazardly. "Anyways, I see you at school all the time when I'm heading to my calculus class. I have to cut across the back of the arts building to make it there after my morning class, and a while back I noticed that you were always sitting at the same bench by one of the peach trees back there. Every day I go to calc I see you sitting there, reading a book or watching the clouds, and I just- I don't know. You always looked so peaceful and content in the quiet back there. Of all the times I passed through, though, not once did I ever see you with someone else, and I just couldn't help but think to myself how lonely you must be."

The words were rushed, as though he was forcing himself to say everything he had been keeping in. His eyes had lowered, fixing on the counter though he appeared to be looking through it. His voice softened. "But then, you'd have a little smile on your face and I could feel okay again. It became sort of like a highlight for me, to pass through that area every other day and check in on you."

He shrugged, blue eyes peeking back up at her. A rosy blush had crept up his neck and ears.

"And then Kiba and I came here for lunch that one day and you were here, and I just- I don't know. It felt weird to see you here, because I see you all the time at school. It was almost like I already knew you. And once I knew where I could go to see you outside of school, I couldn't stop myself- I had to keep coming by, to get to know you."

He rubbed his face with his hand. "I just- I wanted you to know that you aren't alone."

Hinata was frozen. Why was he telling her this now? And then he looked at her, blue eyes revealing a vulnerability he had never shown her before.

"That sounds creepy, doesn't it?" he whispered.

Looking at him, Hinata didn't know what to say. She was… flattered, and just a bit embarrassed to know that someone had been watching her- let alone _noticed_ her. She knew the bench he was talking about: it was a quiet spot on the school grounds, secluded. She had made it a habit to seek the solitude of that place in the morning after her yoga class and take time to just relax. She didn't know anyone at the school, and was quiet in her classes, so it was difficult for her to make new friends. That bench had become her special place, a place that was her very own.

Yet apparently, someone else had decided to join her there as well. Each morning she sat there alone, watching with longing the groups of friends who would pass by- turns out she hadn't been alone.

A smile slowly grew across her face. "I change my mind. Maybe you a-are a stalker."

"What?!" Naruto's blue eyes had gone ridiculously round at her teasing jab, so much so that she couldn't hold back the giggles at the look on his face.

It had been a long time since she'd smiled so widely. It was a nice feeling. Perhaps this is what those girls in class gossiped about all day long; the warm feeling that comes from finding out you are more connected to a person than you had ever imagined.

"Heh, guess I am, huh." He chuckled, obviously set at ease by her amusement, but Hinata could tell he was hiding some discomfort. Maybe he felt embarrassed at telling her something he'd been holding private? Would most girls be angry at finding out they'd been spied on? Not that she had been spied on, per say; Naruto merely had noticed her existence- which in Hinata's lonely world was an exciting thing. She used to be a lonely, timid person; not content to sit by herself under her peach tree, but too afraid to branch out and risk connecting with her peers. He had persisted, though; never giving up on her. And steadily, he had managed to creep inside her bubble and force her out of her shell.

Finished with the sandwich, she rolled it up in paper and moved to the register. Naruto was biting his lip as she rang up the order.

Without this person standing before her, her life would have remained so colorless.

"You kn-know," she started slowly, "you could always come over and s-sit with me."

"Huh?"

Blushing at what she intended to say, Hinata nevertheless lifted her eyes to Naruto's. If there was one thing he had taught her over the course of their interactions, it was that it was okay to be herself, to let people hear what she had to say. He had shown her how to be brave.

"At school. You can sit wi-with me."

And then, rewarding her courage, the most genuine smile she had ever seen spread across his face.

"You wouldn't mind? I always wanted to go over and say hi, but I didn't know if you'd get creeped out by some random dude coming over and getting in your space."

"You kind of did that anyway," she giggled.

"What? How?"

She stared at him. "M-my name. Remember? You came in here a-and used it all the time, even though I didn't- didn't know you. And you said some st-strange things at first, too."

Sheepishly Naruto closed his eyes, lifting a hand to his hair again. "I did, didn't I?"

She nodded. Was it possible to feel so happy over such a little thing? Her world was evolving, expanding at the hands of this boy who had taken a chance on her- when he hadn't even known her. Strange, that fate would connect things so cleverly.

"Guess I am kind of an idiot; I should have warned you the first time I came in here."

"Your f-friend with the tattoos on his face d-did."

"That mongrel." Naruto laughed good-naturedly as he dug his wallet out of his pocket. "Yeah, I guess I should apologize about that. He said I acted like a total creeper that first day we came around. I didn't mean to scare you; I just got really excited to see you and wanted to make an impression. I am sorry, though, for making you uncomfortable that day."

This boy in front of her- Hinata was glad she hadn't run when he'd offered her his name so long ago. They had come so far in such a short time. It seemed so silly to look back at her life- her life of timidity and fear. Where would she be if he had never taken that chance?

"Why-why didn't you come over after we st-started talking to each other?"

"Huh? At school, you mean? I guess I got a bit nervous. I didn't know how you'd react to seeing me in your personal space at school. Work is different- I can be a customer here. I figured there'd be less pressure for you. At school, though, if I were to go over and say hi, it just felt like I'd be intruding. I didn't want to force you into an awkward situation like I did when I first started coming around here. I wanted to be sure you wouldn't mind me hanging around, bothering you."

"I-I wouldn't mind at all!" Surely her happiness must be showing on her face. Somewhere along the way, she had come to depend on those moments at work when the blonde would show up. How it had happened, Hinata had no idea, but now- realizing just how considerate this boy really was- she felt truly blessed to have been chosen as his friend. As far as she was concerned, she was the one who should be thanking him.

"I'd be h-happy to share my bench with you." Her life was not what it used to be.

Naruto, thumbing through his wallet, looked up to smile gently at her one more time.

And in that smile, she knew it would never be the same again.

"I think I will then. Thanks again, Hinata. And, I guess I'll be seeing you around- at school, I mean?"

She nodded, feeling something new fluttering to life within her.

One more smile, and then he left, sandwich bag in hand, leaving a five dollar bill on the counter.

_End_


End file.
